Wilmore Centennial Park at South End

For years, neighborhood leaders have been advocating for a park in South End and Wilmore. Wilmore neighborhood leaders first dedicated community-owned land at the corner of South Tryon and Kingston for a future neighborhood park. Later, Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation acquired that land and additional lots, and created a master plan for the future park just last December.

The master plan, developed with guidance from residents of Wilmore and South End, includes open space and a green lawn, an arbor and seating with city views, skate spots, trees for shade, and a dog park.

The park will be officially named Wilmore Centennial Park at South End, in honor of Wilmore’s 100th anniversary and steadfast advocacy for the park, and the park’s location in the newer neighborhood of South End.

Developing the nearly one-acre park will cost about $1 million, out of $277 million for new parks proposed in this cycle of the Capital Improvement Program, which begins in fiscal year 2019.

This is where you come in. Even though this Wilmore Centennial Park at South End was recommended as a priority park project for funding, it is not included in the current parks budget for the FY19-23 Capital Improvement Program (CIP). This means a delay of at least 5 years more before the park is built.

If you want this park, please write to your County Commissioners today and ask them to allocate funding for the construction of Wilmore Centennial Park at South End. Thoughtful emails that are personal and respectful work best.

Final vote on the Capital Improvement Program budget will be June 20.

Speak up!

Write a thoughtful and personal letter and e-mail it or mail it to your County Commissioners (contact information below.)

Letter Guidelines

Ask the Commissioner to add $1 million for Wilmore Centennial Park at South End to the FY19-23 Capital Improvement Program budget

Tell them why the park matters to you, how you will use it, and why it cannot wait

Thank them

About Wilmore Centennial Park at South End

Total size: about 1 acre (0.89 acres)

Development cost: $1 million, of $277 million total proposed for park and recreation facilities in the CIP

Neighborhood residents have been working together for years on this park, protecting the land from development, working with park planners on the master plan, and raising private funds to help contribute to park construction

South End and Wilmore currently lack both a community gathering space and ample green space for relaxation, play and recreation

The site is a beautiful space, sitting peacefully above Tryon Street and with amazing views of the city and neighborhoods

More than 8,000 residents live nearby, and more are moving to the area all the time